2026 MEETING & TRAINING DAY - SEPTEMBER 27th & 28th, 2026

The New Jersey Licensed Private Investigators Association will be hosting our September meeting in conjunction with a day of Training & Professional Development on September 27th & 28th at the RUTGERS CONFERENCE CENTER – NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ.

 SEE BELOW FOR FULL SCHEDULE

To Book a room at the NJLPIA special rate - see below at bottom of the page

This event is open to all NJLPIA members and guests as well as non-member private investigators from New Jersey and other area states. 

We are also offering attendance to perspective licensee’s and encourage those individuals to attend and start building your network! 

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27th, 2026:

5:00 PM to 9:00 PM:  Networking session; Association Mtg. & Catered Dinner

Full speaker line-up and class descriptions below  

5:00 pm to 6:00 pm.: Check-in and Meet & Greet.

6:00 pm to 7:00 pm: Catered buffet dinner

7:00 pm to 8:00 pm: Special Guest Speaker - Kitty Hailey "Wrongful Convictions"

8:00 pm to 10:00 pm Networking event with open bar, snacks

Speaker Kitty Hailey

"Post Conviction Investigation"  

Kitty Hailey is an investigator with years of experience. Having started as a full-service investigator in New Jersey with a staff of 25 females, she learned the ropes doing what all general practice investigators do. 

Now, several decades later she works primarily in the field of Civil Rights and Wrongful Incarcerations. Having found her passion has allowed her to work to move more than 20 men off of death row and either into general population or out of prison entirely. She is now licensed in both NJ and PA. 

Why is the Innocence Project so popular today? Because it plays a role in FINALLY discovering the truth about poorly conducted criminal investigations! 

This class will be a discussion on how to carefully conduct an investigation AFTER an individual has been wrongly incarcerated.

Unlike cold cases and old files, the post conviction investigation is much more than just finding old information and witnesses. It is about reinvestigating the

original investigation, finding the misinterpreted and missing evidence. Pointing out the mistakes made by attorneys assuming facts instead of locating them.

We will discuss how wrongly applied forensic science and boiler plate legal representation are responsible for hundreds of men and women living lives of hell instead of enjoying the freedoms they deserve.

This is a criminal investigation on steroids and a valuable class for anyone wishing to work in the world of criminal  justice. It is a learning session for investigators doing first stage criminal investigations as well, so that Post Conviction is never needed.

Kitty has written or contributed to 6 other books for investigators. As a result she has earned two life time achievement awards, seven editor-publisher awards, and multiple investigator of the year awards for state and national associations. She is one of Forbes 50 Women Over 50 (2024) and still writes, teaches and practices from her Philadelphia, PA office. 

MONDAY. SEPTEMBER 28th, 2026 - 8:00 AM TO 4:00 PM:                                          Training Session with provided breakfast & Lunch

7:30 am to 8:00 am - Check-in and registration for Training Session

8:00 am - Catered Breakfast. 

9:00 am - Opening Ceremonies

9:15 am - Class start time ( times are approximate and speaker order may change due to individual speakers scheduling needs)

• We are tentatively working on scheduling of representatives from the NJSP Private Detective Unit for an update and short Q and A session. This is pending and will be updated shortly.   

 MORNING SESSION:

 9:30 am - 10:30 am:

Joseph Vecchio, CPS, CFF

Short Financial Planning – Monmouth Beach, New Jersey

“QuickBooks for the Private Investigator”

 Joseph Vecchio is the founder of Shore Financial Planning, where he works with small business owners to improve financial organization, tax planning, and overall business strategy. As a small business owner himself, Joseph understands the challenges entrepreneurs face when managing finances, bookkeeping, and taxes. He founded Shore Financial Planning with an emphasis on proactive financial and tax planning rather than simply addressing financial issues at year-end. 

This instructional block will focus on the practical use of QuickBooks for private investigation businesses. Joseph will discuss how investigators can use QuickBooks to better organize their business finances, track income and expenses, maintain accurate records, and obtain a clearer picture of the financial health of their agency.

The presentation will also address ways to integrate QuickBooks into the day-to-day operation of a PI business, improve bookkeeping practices, prepare for tax season, and provide business owners with better financial information for planning and decision-making.

Whether you are a sole practitioner or operate a growing investigative agency, this session is designed to provide practical information that can help make the financial side of your PI business more organized, efficient, and manageable.

10:30 am - 11:30 am 

Andrew Hornback

Founder & CEO - Hornback Strategic Services

"Managing your businesses Cyber security" 

Andrew Hornback, Founder and CEO of Hornback Strategic Services, is a highly credentialed cybersecurity leader and CyberAB certified CMMC-Registered Practitioner (CMMC-RP) who specializes in navigating the rigorous regulatory demands of the Department of Defense (DoD). As a Ph.D. candidate in Cyber Leadership with an MS in Information Security Management, Andrew bridges the gap between complex federal mandates and high-level business strategy.

In his role as a Fractional CISO, Andrew provides organizations in the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) with executive-level oversight that is often out of reach for small to mid-sized enterprises. He excels at architecting resilient security frameworks that go beyond "checkbox compliance," moving organizations toward a state of permanent audit-readiness. His expertise is particularly vital for firms navigating the nuances of CMMC 2.0 Level 2, ensuring that Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) is protected through sustainable, scalable controls.

Andrew’s philosophy centers on Business Enablement: he views compliance not as a hurdle, but as a foundational asset that secures a firm’s eligibility for high-value federal contracts. By aligning cybersecurity governance with mission-critical operations, he empowers businesses to focus on growth and service delivery, confident that their regulatory posture is both ironclad and strategically optimized for the modern American defense landscape. 

12:00 - 1:00 pm   Catered buffet lunch

AFTERNOON SESSION:

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm  

Isaac Peck - Co-Keynote Speaker

Owner- OREP Insurance & Working PI Magazine

"Insurance needs and case studies for the Private Investigator"

 Isaac Peck is the Publisher of Working PI magazine and the President of OREP, a leading provider of liability insurance for private investigators. In his 15th year at OREP, Peck has extensive experience advising professionals on risk management, liability, state board complaints, and claims.

Today, over 14,000 professionals trust OREP with their insurance and Working PI is the most widely read magazine for private investigators nationwide (reaching 25,000+ every issue). Peck is a licensed insurance broker in 50 states and holds a Master’s Degree in Accounting.

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm 

 Ed Bordi - Co-Keynote Speaker

Realiiz Inc.

 "Using Artifical Intelligence to help manager your PI Business"

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Jim Nanos -Apple Investigations

"Retainers and Contracts When Booking a Client"

Jim Nanos is a licensed private investigator and owner of Apple Investigations, with decades of investigative and law-enforcement experience. In addition to his investigative background, Jim has extensive experience operating a private investigation business and dealing directly with clients, attorneys, insurance companies, and other investigative professionals. His presentation draws on real-world experience managing client expectations, establishing the scope of an investigation, and protecting both the investigator and the client through properly structured agreements. 

Taking on a new client involves more than simply agreeing to conduct an investigation. A properly written retainer agreement or investigative contract can establish the scope of the assignment, define fees and expenses, address deposits and replenishment of retainers, and clearly establish what the investigator has—and has not—been hired to do.

This instructional block will discuss the practical use of retainers, engagement agreements, and investigative contracts in a private investigation business. Topics will include establishing payment terms, defining the scope of work, addressing surveillance and investigative expenses, expanding an assignment when additional work is requested, documenting client authorization, and reducing misunderstandings or disputes after an investigation begins.

The session will also examine common contract provisions investigators should consider and discuss how a well-written agreement can help protect the investigator, manage client expectations, and improve the overall professionalism of the client intake process. 

4:00pm - conclusion of training

NJLPIA Training / Conference – Hotel Room Reservations

To reserve your room at the Rutgers University Inn & Conference Center at the Special NJLPIA rate of $110.00 for the night (taxes included)

• Go to inn.rutgers.edu

• Click BOOK A ROOM

• Select your arrival and departure dates (09/27 arrivial, 09/28 departure)

• Select the number of guests

• Enter Group/Promotional Code: NJLPIA31393

• Click SEARCH AVAILABILITY

• Select VIEW RATES for your preferred room

• Click ADD

• Follow the prompts to complete your reservation and credit card payment

Important:

• The conference room block is for September 27, 2026.

• If you need additional nights before or after the conference date, book those nights separately at the regular rate and do not use the group code for the additional reservation.

• Advise the hotel that the reservations are connected so they can attempt to keep you in the same room.

• A 100% non-refundable deposit is required when booking.

• Reservations cannot be cancelled, changed, or adjusted after booking.